Tomato Fusarium Wilt

Q: To prevent tomato fusarium wilt, I am in the process of solarizing my garden. Do I need to do anything to my cages and red plastic mulch trays in order to keep this disease from returning?

A: Fusarium wilt fungi mostly live in the soil but it’s not a bad idea to sanitize cages and mulch rings each year. Both are made from impervious materials so washing them off thoroughly should be sufficient. Put the cages in the sun for winter storage and let the plastic dry completely before storing it. Also consider planting fusarium-resistant tomato varieties. Their nursery label will have the letters “VFN” on it.